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Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Flexible seating has been a huge component of my classroom for many years. My first grade students had great success with the seating and they thrived within our flexible seating classroom. When I moved to Southern California, I found out that I would be teaching a fourth and fifth grade combination class. I had a lot to consider when it came to fourth/fifth grade students and flexible seating...

Would they need their own supplies instead of shared supplies?

Would they need a space to call their own?

Would fourth/fifth graders require as much movement as first graders?

What about all the yoga balls and wobble stools I had for first graders? Would these items work?

What classroom furniture would I have to work with?
What would flexible seating look like with a class of 34 intermediate students vs. 24 first graders?

Checking out the classroom was the first stage in the planning process. When I saw my classroom I realized that I would need to change my vision for my classroom layout. I LOVE teaching with tables in my classroom. Being a new teacher at the school I had to make the classroom furniture in the room work with my classroom set-up. My classroom was a storage space before I moved in so there was a mishmash of desks and chairs to work with. So... for now the two-seater desks would have to work.

I decided to arrange my students into groups to start the year. I would assess their needs and go from there. I brought in my stability cushions, lap desks, and wobble stools (even though they were first grade-sized). I began the year providing each child with a "home base" seat. This was their desk to hold their items since we didn't have tables. I brought in a standing desk, bean bag chairs, pillows, and lowered a table. Ikea is local for me so I was fortunate enough to obtain some flexible seating options at a great price. We started on day one with flexible seating expectations that I used with my first graders and the students took our flexible seating responsibilities very seriously.

Throughout the day we would integrate flexible seating for various projects and assignments, then meet at their "home base" seat or the carpet area for direct instruction. I quickly learned, like my first grade students, fourth graders need to move while they are learning! Scholastic bonus points came in very handy to purchase some wobble stools that were better suited for my fourth graders. I decided to forgo the yoga balls due to the lack of space in my new room, but wanted to get additional wobble stools for my classroom. I set up a Donor's Choose project for additional wobble stools that would fit my students. While I await the possibility of funding for the stools, we are using the first grade stools and my students love them and don't mind that they are not as tall. If you would like to donate to the funding of our wobble stools, click here!

I am very pleased with the modified version of the flexible seating in my classroom that we have currently set up and I have a vision to make the classroom even more flexible! I have my eye on white board tables that flip up and roll. I would love these tables because it would allow for collaboration and the students could use the white board surface for writing and note taking. The tables could then be flipped up to present to the class. The rolling option could enable our class to become a wide open space for projects. I also found hexagonal dry-erase top tables that I love. These looked great for collaboration. I am currently in search of grants to help fund these items and I am hopeful that I can make the vision work!

I am excited to see where flexible seating in our fourth and fifth grade takes us. I will be sure to update the blog about all on the challenges and successes throughout the year. I would love to hear how flexible seating has gone for you!

Sunday, November 19, 2017

There have been many changes in my world recently and I couldn't be happier about the excitement the last few months has had in store for me. This summer I relocated from Northern California to sunny Southern California. I am absolutely LOVING life down here by the beach.

Along with a new city comes a new school! I was extremely fortunate to be hired by an innovative district in full support of their teachers and classroom creativity. I was hired at a STEAM school and I have been having so much fun implementing science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics as much as possible.

While I have had lots of experience teaching the little ones I am currently experiencing life teaching intermediate students as a fourth and fifth grade combination teacher!

I can't wait to share some of the amazing projects the students have been working on.

First, take a peek into my classroom... Working with older kids has allowed me to embrace topics of their interest level. I decided to use emojis and hashtags as a component of my classroom. Check out the pics below!

I am a lover of flexible seating and with my fourth and fifth graders is looks a little different than it did for my first graders... A post on flexible seating with older kids will be coming soon!

Below I have some of our bulletin boards... more information about each project will be coming soon!

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Well this year's Open House was a success! My students proudly displayed all of their projects and shared their knowledge with their parents. We took part in 6 weeks of ocean research. We studied many ocean animals and wrote informational writing pieces in our ocean research journals. We also completed culminating art projects for each of the animals we learned about.

This was the bulletin board that is displayed in the hallway as you enter the classroom. Our octopus project welcomed the families into our ocean research center. To find out how we made our octopus art click here!

We made these adorable shell and pipe cleaner crabs. I ordered the shells online and the students painted them red. They then glued on the pipe cleaner legs and eyes.

The students wrote an informational piece on each ocean animal we studied. We compiled these pieces of writing in our Ocean Research Journals. The students had an impressive 10-page book for the event!

We created divers and three-dimensional turtles. I attached the turtles on a sponge painted paper bulletin board with green butcher paper seaweed.

After reading The Rainbow Fish and discussing the story elements, the students created their own Rainbow Fish with glitter scales of course!

These adorable clownfish were so much fun to make out of paper mache! We studied these amazing creatures then created the fish. The students put layers of paper dipped in paper mache paste all over a balloon. After a few days the fish were dry and ready to be painted. The students painted them using a shiny orange paint, then added white stripes. Then the orange foam fins and tail were added with hot glue. The mouth is made of model magic formed into a ring and the eyes are large google eyes. I hung the fish in the classroom with fishing line attached to the top fin of each fish.

The students chose 6 of their favorite ocean animals and completed a research cube. These cubes were hung around the room using fishing line. Grab these Animal Research Report Cubeshere!

We also read Mister Seahorse and created watercolor seahorses to display on a bulletin board. First the students used the wet-on-wet method and painted all over a piece of watercolor paper. Then the students sprinkled a little salt to create a textured/bubble effect. Once the paintings were dry, the students traced using a pattern I created and cut out their seahorse. After the seahorse body was cut, the students cut little spikes to add to the back and drew on eyes.

We also created humpback whale diagrams to display the students' knowledge of the beautiful sea creatures as well as their knowledge of the diagram text feature.

The students took part in collaborative diagrams. Together they used our informational text to create a diagram of a toothed whale or baleen whale. They completed these diagrams in groups of six and we proudly displayed them for the parents to see.

I am so proud of all of the hard work from my students this year. Open House was a great way to celebrate the end of the year! I will miss this group of kiddos so much!

Saturday, April 29, 2017

For Open House each year, my class transforms our room into an Ocean Research Center. This year I have integrated a few new projects. One of the new favorites is our octopus art. We learned about the amazing octopus and created a culminating art project to display for Open House.

I had the students choose two sheets of any color of construction paper. I then instructed them how to paint using the sponge method. They chose any colors of paint they wanted and then they painted away with tempera paints.

After the paint dried, I had the students trace the octopus body shapes on the back of the construction paper using templates I created. Then we had a paper cutting party and all the students cut their octopus pieces out.

I then helped the students glue their octopus together in small groups. We added eyes using tempera paint sticks.

I hung the octopus art on the bulletin board outside of our room to welcome the parents into our classroom. I stapled the octopus art to look as if they were crawling over the bulletin board paper.
Here is a picture of the unfinished bulletin board... words of welcome coming soon!

My students loved this project! Stay tuned for future posts about our latest ocean projects for Open House!

Saturday, February 18, 2017

This past week my students have been immersed in the classic stories of Arnold Lobel. Frog and Toad are some of my childhood favorites and they still engage and entertain kids today. My students were practically rolling around on the floor with laughter at the antics of these beloved characters.

Once we completed the reading of the Frog and Toad Together stories, we completed some fun activities from the Frog and Toad Together Unit. Check out the pictures of the unit below and get the unit here.

There are many great activities that can be done with this story. Included in the Frog and Toad Together Unit are engaging activities such as comparing and contrasting characters, finding text evidence for character traits, sequence of events, central message, comprehension questions, and more!

Frog and Toad is also great to use for teaching the central message. There is a lesson to be learned from the characters in each story. We created this helpful anchor chart to help us keep track of the central message.

I can't wait to read more Frog and Toad to my students and check back soon for additional Frog and Toad resources!

About Me

Hello! I am a first grade teacher in California. I believe learning should be engaging, interactive, and fun! I strive to create hands on lessons that stretch my students' understanding and allow them to tap into their creativity!